Age just a number for Giroud as he battles Messi and Mbappe, and trains like he's 20

The AC Milan forward is leading the line for France at the World Cup in Qatar where he continues to take the competition by storm.

Advertisement

Heading into France's semi-final clash with Morocco, Giroud is the joint-second top scorer in the competition with four goals, tied with Lionel Messi and one behind Les Bleus teammate Kylian Mbappe.

After becoming France's all-time top scorer with a strike against Poland in the last-16, the 36-year-old added another to his tally with a wonderful header to send Gareth Southgate's England out in the quarter-finals.

Advertisement

It's emerged that Didier Deschamps was actually seconds away from replacing the former Arsenal and Chelsea star, but it's safe to say that the decision to keep him on proved to be the right one.

To be banging them in for fun at the age of 36 is mightily impressive, but doing so is not simply down to luck.

Giroud prides himself on his physical conditioning with an incredibly strict diet that is designed to keep him in prime physical conditioning.

As well as avoiding processed foods, sugar and unhealthy oils as part of a diet that includes plenty of lean meat, fish and high-energy carbohydrates.

Advertisement

Advertisement

He also trains with real intensity, working on an individual training plan which allows him just one day off - all of that on top of his mandatory workload that is given to him by his employers AC Milan.

As a result, Giroud continues to be top performer at the highest level of the game, leading Thomas Tuchel to praise the striker in February 2021 for training 'like a 20-year-old'.

Advertisement

Speaking during their time together at Chelsea, Tuchel said: "If you see him on a daily basis, you cannot be surprised.

"He is totally fit, his body is in shape and his physicality is on top level.

"Mentally I have really the feeling he enjoys every day being a professional soccer player on this level and this is the level he needs to be.

"He trains like a 20-year-old, like a 24-year-old.

Advertisement

"He is a guy who has a good mixture of seriousness and joy in training. He is always positive and it is a big factor for the group.

"He starts, when he comes from the bench, he has all these qualities and it is good like this."

Advertisement

Giroud is potentially two matches away from helping France to a second consecutive World Cup triumph.

However, according to the AC Milan striker, his age is doing nothing to slow him down as he continues to defy expectations.

Speaking last week at the World Cup, he said: "I feel very good. I think my football is interesting. Somebody very wise said we are 20 years old and the rest is just experience, it's exactly like that.

Advertisement

"I feel like I am 20. That's how I play when I am on the pitch, a young player wanting to compete. At one point my body will say stop but for now, it's accompanying me on the journey.

"No limits, you have that to show to the young players. If I can play the role of the big brother and accompany them as long as possible, that will be good."